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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26118034">A Deserter's Instincts</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thisisentertaining/pseuds/Thisisentertaining'>Thisisentertaining</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Always trust Sokka's instincts [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Deserter, Bending, Canon Divergence, Fire Days Festival, Fire Flakes, Fire Nation, Friendship, Gen, Zuko and the Gaang bonding</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:48:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>16,631</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26118034</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thisisentertaining/pseuds/Thisisentertaining</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Part of the Instinctual Verse, please read that first. </p><p>It had been weeks since Sokka had freed Zuko from Jet's clutches, and Zuko... he still can't make a spark. He's spent every available moment in the sun, and while his chi is growing stronger, he can do no more than manipulate an existing flame. He's trying not to let on how... concerned he is, but since Sokka maintains that he's a 'terrible liar', he doesn't think it's particularly effective. </p><p>He knows that going to the Fire Days festival was probably a bad idea, after all there is a whole wall of wanted posters featuring them right outside the city wall. But honestly, if Zuko never made a bad decision, he'd never do anything, and he wants a taste of home so badly. </p><p>What's the worse that could happen?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aang &amp; Zuko (Avatar), Katara &amp; Zuko (Avatar), Sokka &amp; Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang &amp; Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Always trust Sokka's instincts [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1883224</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>206</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1508</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So, I want it known that just because I'm posting this episode now, that DOES NOT mean that I'm not writing any of the episodes between Jet and The Deserter. I have ideas for several of those episodes to come, but I wanted to work on the episodes I'm most excited about first. So, they may not be posted completely in order. </p><p>Hope you enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Woah, you’re on here too, Zuko! Twice!”</p><p>Sokka turned at Aang’s voice, looking from the posters to the firebender. Zuko was, as usual, sunning himself, face turned to the sun. Sokka doubted that he would ever really stop doing that. Going without something for years could make it so that you would never take it for granted again. The firebender looked to Aang, turning his face away from the sun to eye the wanted posters that the Avatar was pointing at.</p><p>Sokka turned back to the posters as well. One of them showed the Blue Spirit mask tucked in Zuko’s bag. Under the drawing were the words ‘WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE, Non-bending anonymous swordsman who aided in the escape of the Avatar at Pohuai Stronghold’. The other poster was made in a slightly different style and showed an image of a younger Zuko next to what was supposedly an artist’s rendering of him at his current age.</p><p>“Only one of those is a wanted poster.” The firebender said, nodding at the Blue Spirit image.</p><p>“What’s the other one then?” Katara asked.</p><p>“It’s a notice of banishment. I’m not… wanted, I’m just not allowed on Fire Nation territory.”</p><p>Aang and Katara blinked in surprise, and Sokka noted for the first time that Zuko was carefully staying to one side of the notice board. “Banished?” Katara asked, but Zuko had moved around and was looking at the Fire Days Festival poster again.</p><p>Sokka stepped forward and put his hand on his sister’s shoulder. He hadn’t told the others about what Zuko had shared on that fishing boat during the storm, but it wasn’t something he would share lightly. Zuko’s life had been hard enough, he wasn’t about to start spilling the other teen’s secrets. Zuko would tell them about the banishment, about the scar, about Ozai, when he was ready. Katara bit her lip but shared a glance with Aang and looked down. Sokka suspected that they had talked about something serious during the storm as well, but he wouldn’t ask while he was keeping Zuko’s secret.</p><p>“I guess that means that we can’t go to the festival.” Aang said, drooping.</p><p>“Not… necessarily.” Zuko said, in the ‘I’m about to do something stupid and destructive because it have no sense of self preservation, but it’s going to be awesome’ voice that was too familiar for Sokka’s heart to take. This was going to be a bad idea. Katara and Aang, who were not as well versed in ‘Zuko voices’ and therefore uncomprehending of the terrible decision that was about to be made, both perked up. “The Fire Days festival is a masquerade.”</p><p>“A what?”</p><p>“Everyone wears masks. It’s traditional, a way to symbolize that when it comes to fire, everyone is equal. The noble and the pauper get burned the same, so it doesn’t matter who is behind the mask for the night. It doesn’t work like that, obviously. The nobles have masks worth thousands, and some of the less affluent have hommade masks, but… I always thought the concept was… profound.”</p><p>The teen’s fingers brushed past the left side of his face in what could have been a move to brush his growing hair back, but Sokka knew it wasn’t. He spared half second to hate Ozai especially hard.</p><p>“I don’t know,” Katara said. “Even if we do wear masks, this seems dangerous. I think we better keep moving.”</p><p>“I have to learn firebending at some point, and if Zuko can’t teach me then this could be my only chance to watch the masters up close.”</p><p>Sokka winced, and glanced at their resident Fire Nation teenager. He still couldn’t make fire, and he could get really testy when anyone mentioned the possibility that it could be a permanent issue. Luckily, the older teen wasn’t paying much attention. He was looking at the Fire Days festival with a hunger that had previously been reserved for orange-melons.</p><p>“I guess we could go check it out.” Katara allowed.</p><p>Sokka wanted to protest, wanted to say that going to a Fire town on a Fire day of Fire was a horrible idea, but he hadn’t seen Zuko look so excited since Sokka had said he was going to get him out of a cave. Plus Aang was sending him the biggest Puppy-dog gaze his already big eyes could muster. Sokka didn’t stand a chance. “Fine, but we’re wearing disguises and laying low.”</p><p>Zuko’s grin was blinding, before it fell off. “I- I shouldn’t.” He said, voice laced with regret. “If they recognize me, then they can legally kill me for being on colony land.”</p><p>“Pretty sure that goes the same for all of us, buddy.” Sokka slapped him on the shoulder. “Hasn’t stopped us yet. We’ll leave if things start to look like trouble.”</p><p>Zuko snorted, but allowed Sokka to maneuver him back towards the bison. That was how the water tribe knew how excited the bender really was. Usually a move like this would have involved a <em>lot </em>more yelling and insults. “Because we always leave before there’s trouble.” The scarred teen said sarcastically, but moved to pull his mask out his bag.</p><p>“Exactly,” Sokka said with a bright grin, happy that Zuko absolutely sucked at lying. He wanted this so bad.</p><p>Aang was happily bouncing beside the Fire Nation teen, excitement shining through him in a much more traditional way, though his enthusiasm honestly wasn’t much more obvious than Zuko’s. “I hope that the band is good, has dancing changed a lot? My friend Kuzon taught me some traditional Fire Nation daces, but those are probably pretty old fashioned by now.”</p><p>“We don’t, uh… we don’t. Dance. Anymore.” Zuko said awkwardly, casting an apologetic grimace towards the younger teen. “My, uh, I mean firelord Azulon banned it, except in plays.”</p><p>“Oh.” Aang said, deflating. Sokka grimaced, it was hard to cheer Aang up after he was forcibly reminded of how different the world was.</p><p>“Don’t worry Aang.” Katara comforted, and Sokka relaxed. If anyone could bring the Avatar out of this funk, it was his kind, compassionate, caring sister. “I’m sure that Zuko would just <em>love </em>to learn some of those dances from you after the festival, learn a bit about the lost parts of his culture. You should teach him. Wouldn’t that be <em>great </em>Zuko?”</p><p>His kind, compassionate, caring, <em>evil </em>sister.</p><p>Zuko grit his teeth, clearly about to start on a record yelling session, when a single stream of water rose from behind the girl menacingly. “Sure.” He bit out between clenched teeth.</p><p>Aang perked up fully. “That would be <em>awesome</em>! I would be like a master, a dancing master.”</p><p>Oops, here came the yelling, time to deflect, time to deflect. Sometimes he wondered if the cave did something to his hearing. That or he had always been this yell-y, which was kinda terrifying to think about. “Hey, guys, we should probably start heading down. Don’t want to miss too much of the not-dancing.”</p><hr/><p>Zuko slid the Blue Spirit mask over his face before pulling the hood of his cloak over it.</p><p>“Stay here. I’m going to go get masks for you, but it wouldn’t be smart for you to go into the town until you have them, not with those posters out.”</p><p>“Uh huh, cool cool cool,” Sokka said, “But uh, are you sure that it makes sense for you to like, <em>go into town as a wanted felon</em>.”</p><p>“It’s a Fire Days festival, the Blue Spirit is a popular folk figure, I won’t be the only one there. It’ll be fine.” He turned and stalked down the hill to the town before Sokka could argue anymore. He could barely think. In the air hung the lilting of songs he’d known the tunes of since before he could babble. He’d done this one for his first ever tsungi horn recital when he was 8. Every breath he breathed came with a tint of smoke and a hint of spice from the fire flakes vendors and the roasted meat spits. The town lights bobbed and danced, a purposeful display rather than the bobbing of wild flames.</p><p>He felt like he had been starving and finally getting fed. He felt like he was finally seeing sunlight again for the second time. It was like he was finally home again.</p><p>And 100 yards away there was a Banishment Notice warning him away on pain of death. He felt anger building through him at the thought, a fury so fierce that the fact that flames still didn’t come had sent him into a panic that he was staunchly ignoring. Zuko had to fight off a sneer even now, remembering how in the ‘aged up’ side the artist had been lazy enough to just put a scar across a portrait of his father at 16.</p><p>He was somewhat surprised that his father had allowed even that small allowance that Zuko was his son.</p><p>Zuko watched a pair of children in red running past with sparks shooting from a small spark-stick and allowed his joy at being at the festival distract him once more. He was relived to see that he wasn’t the only Blue Spirit in attendance, and quickly stepped up to the nearest mask vendor. He chose the masks that resembled the three companions that often accompanied the Blue Spirit, hoping that would hide him more, and quickly made his way back to his three… friends? Traveling companions? Whatever, he gave them the masks.</p><p>A part of him wanted to go into the legend of the Blue Spirit and his companions, explain the characters as he handed the masks to the appropriate person, talk about a legend so iconic that not even the Ember Island Players could mess it up.</p><p>He didn’t, biting his tongue as Aang and Sokka switched masks away from the characters he chose, instead simply grunting and pulling them into the festivities</p><p>They watched with wide, amazed eyes as a paper dragon raced past, it’s slinking, long body a replica of the majestic beasts his family had hunted into extinction.</p><p>He missed his uncle.</p><p>… but until he found Iroh, fire flakes would do.</p><p>Sokka had already rushed the table, shoveling the festival treat through the mouth hole in his mask before Zuko could say a word of warning.</p><p>Not that he would have. He was appreciative that Sokka let him out, but he <em>had </em>left Zuko down there for a week. Some petty revenge was par for the course. Plus that made it even more gratifying when he reached past the gasping teen for his own bag and happily popped them into his mouth. Sokka gaped at him, and Zuko smirked before allowing himself a moment to relish in the familiar flavors of home. Cayenne, chili powder, and pepper flakes mixed with honey and cinnamon, all fried to a crackling texture that was both light and crunchy.</p><p>“Wow, Zuko makes that look way better than you did, Sokka.” Aang said, tone accusatory.</p><p>Sokka sputtered. “Fire Nation taste buds must be completely fried off, there’s no way you could <em>taste </em>anything after that.”</p><p>Zuko snorted, tossing another bite back before saying in mock outrage. “You dare insult the culinary might of my people? I’ll show you, Water Tribe.” Okay, so it wasn’t <em>entirely </em>mock outrage, but something could be both true and a joke.</p><p>Katara’s eyes widened and she moved into a combat stance as Zuko stepped forward, but the scarred teen simply marched straight past her to a dumpling booth to place an order.</p><p>“Man, we have to work on your sense of humor.” Sokka complained, accepting Katara's slightly belated offering of her waterskin and guzzling the cooling liquid.</p><p>“I like my sense of humor.” Zuko protested, accepting the dumplings and doling them out. “Try these, see if you’re still unimpressed.”</p><p>“Why are ours so much smaller than yours?” Katara complained as Sokka popped the first treat into his mouth.</p><p>“Children’s meal. They’re less spicy, just as flavorful. Aang, yours is going to be spicy, but hopefully your… Kuzon friend prepared you for that.”</p><p>The airbender nodded. “His mom made the <em>best </em>spicy noodles.”</p><p>Sokka was chewing his dumpling consideringly. His face was screwed up in concentration. “Okay, I will concede that there is one thing about the Fire Nation that isn’t horrible.”</p><p>Zuko smirked, casting Sokka an ‘I told you so’ expression before taking a bite of his own treat. The chili studded filling seared into his mouth, unfamiliar after years of fairly bland offerings. He could feel his cheeks heating and sweat beaded at his temples. He started sniffling as it woke his sinuses.</p><p>It was wonderful.</p><p>The other three shared a broad grin. Zuko wasn’t entirely sure why, but he had long since given up trying to de-tangle their social interactions. Sokka slapped him on the shoulder. “Alright, I’m going in for a second round.”</p><p>“Sokka, there are literally dozens of different food booths here, are you really going to limit this to just the one?”</p><p>If you had told Zuko 3 years ago that he would be in disguise, explaining the intricacies of the Fire Days festival to three of the biggest threats to the Fire Nation in a hundred years, he would say that you were insane. Then again, who was to say that he wasn’t insane, after three years in that hole.</p><p>All he knew was that it was… nice, to take three people who had been hurt irreparably by his nation, and see their eyes light up in wonder as he showed them how the lantern flame moved to the music’s beat. As he explained the significance of the decorations, plied them with festival teas and treats, and watched them lose the slightly rigged games. He bought them the sparkler sticks given to the children, bent over in laughter when Sokka immediately shouted ‘I’m a Firebender’ and accidentally set a flag on fire. For a few hours, precious hours, they could see the good of the Fire Nation. Wasn’t that what he always heard the war was about? Spreading the greatness of the Fire Nation and helping people?</p><p>He wasn’t naïve enough to believe that anymore. That lie had died along with the hope that his father ever wanted him anywhere near the throne. Still, it was nice that for one night, for these three, he could do that. Maybe if Aang did defeat the Fire Lord… maybe there could still be hope for his people.</p><p>Maybe. </p><p>Aang got distracted by a group of children surrounding a pupped booth, and Zuko munched on his second bag of Fire Flakes as the curtain opened.</p><p>“Don’t worry, loyal citizens,” The puppet claimed. “No one can surprise the Fire Lord.”</p><p>Zuko frowned. The puppet resembled a young Iroh much more than it could ever resemble his father. Everything from the puppet’s hair, to his body shape, to his <em>accent</em>. It was Iroh all the way. Zuko shuddered, understanding the veiled treason for what it was. When an Earth bending soldier – dressed in the uniform of Ba Sing Se where Uncle had been stationed and Father had never stepped near- was fried by the Fire Lord puppet, the four stepped away. Unease filled their shared glances, though for very different reasons.</p><p>Luckily, Zuko soon spotted a much more interesting stage. “Come on, I think you guys will like this.”</p><p>The fire juggler wasn’t the best he’d seen, nothing compared to the one that came to Azula’s 11<sup>th</sup> birthday party, but he was pretty good considering the size of the town. The way he’d mixed firebending with magic tricks was interesting, though his stage voice was a little fake.</p><p>Aang nearly jumped out of his skin when the juggler asked for volunteers, and Zuko and Sokka both immediately grabbed one of his arms each and forced them to his sides. “No.” Zuko said, casting the boy his most menacing glare… which was completely lost on account of the mask covering his face, but Sokka picked up the slack admirably as he began scolding the younger boy.</p><p>Unfortunately, that meant that both of them were too distracted to keep an eye on the performer before he was suddenly <em>right there </em>and pointing at Katara. “How about you, little lady?”</p><p>Katara immediately started, stepping back awkwardly. “Uh…”</p><p>“Aw, she’s shy!” The juggler said in that same over-the-top voice. “She needs some encouragement!”</p><p>The crowd cheered and a child pushed the girl forward. Katara frantically looked to Zuko, but the prince could only shrug. “You’ll be fine, its safe.” He managed to mutter as the girl was pulled onto the stage.</p><p>The performer quickly set up the scene from the climax of Love Amongst the Dragons, not as effective without the rest of the play, but the few second long show was still far better than anything that the Ember Island Players had ever performed. His Fire Sculpting was magnificent, creating the image of a diving dragon on the end of a tether. The image was so effective that Zuko’s grip on Aang slacked, watching the performer’s control in awe.</p><p>That was where he went wrong, because just before the performer could capitalize on the climax of the scene – wherein he would throw himself between the dragon and the heroine, and the fire image would disappear. In the play that was symbolic of the main character accepting and taming his inner dragon, here it would just look cool- Aang suddenly leaped onto the stage, sending out a whirlwind from the palms of his hands. The dragon dissolved in the twister, sending confetti flying over the crowd.</p><p>For a beat, Zuko was just disappointed that he didn’t get to see the actual climax, the confetti was new and could have really added to the scene.</p><p>Then he remembered that they were literally all wanted criminals and Aang had just airbent in front of an entire town. He jumped to the stage to help Sokka untie Katara just as the crowd began to boo and Aang started on the <em>worst</em> dance he’d ever seen. That’s it, if that was one of Aang’s ‘traditional Fire Nation’ dances, Zuko refused to learn them. Katara and Aang could <em>both </em>use their puppy dog eyes and he wouldn’t budge.</p><p>… right away.</p><p>“Hey!” One of the townsmen yelled. “That kid’s the Avatar!”</p><p>It was like watching a herd of prairie-dog-flamingos, the way that every armored head in the village suddenly perked up and turned their way. Sokka and Katara dropped their masks to take in the scene and Zuko let out a curse. “We need to <em>go</em>.” He commanded, not touching his own mask.</p><p>“And that’s the Blue Spirit from the stronghold!” Another voice yelled as the crowd pressed in on them. Zuko cursed the fact that his swords were back with Appa, he knew that he should have brought them, no matter how odd it would have looked. He squared off into a defensive position, fists raised and chi straining impotently.</p><p>Suddenly, a figure hidden in layered black robes called from a gap in the wall. “Follow me! I can get you out of here!”</p><p>Zuko glanced between the strange figure and the rapidly approaching guards. Well, he hadn’t lived this long by making <em>good </em>decisions. He gripped the back of Aang’s orange collar and drug him towards the gap. The water tribe sibling quickly followed behind, and soon they were following the stranger in a winding, destructive path through the town, smoke bombs falling liberally through his fingers. Aang blew frantically on the bison whistle (which Zuko personally still doubted actually worked, but whatever) as they frantically raced through the town with the soldiers hot on their heels. It seemed that every turn they made only lead them onto the path of more soldiers, until finally they were trapped with their backs to a fireworks pile. Zuko strained for his chi, a single spark in that pile could create plenty of chaos for them to disappear in, but none appeared, and there wasn’t a lantern close enough for him to try to manipulate the external flame.  </p><p>“Sokka, please tell me you brought extra weapons.” He said out of the corner of his mouth as the alley started to flood with pursuers.</p><p>“I don’t even have Boomerang.”</p><p>Zuko opened his mouth to reply, and snapped it closed when a low groan filled the air along with a gigantic shadow.</p><p>“Appa! Down here!” Aang cried.</p><p>Suddenly the beast was <em>there</em> and the soldiers were fleeing. Zuko got it. He’d pretty much reacted the same, and Appa hadn’t even been <em>angry </em>then. Now, the bison slammed it’s tail into the ground, chipping the street and creating a shockwave that send the nearest enemies flying through the air. Without hesitation, they all jumped onto the bison. Soon, they were flying into the night, safe once more.</p><p>Except now, there was a Fire Nation stranger with them.</p><p>….was this how Katara and Aang felt a few weeks back? He did not like it.</p><p>The stranger threw a smoke bomb into the tub of fireworks, creating a magnificent explosion that lit up the sky.</p><p>Okay, Zuko kinda liked him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much for the positive feedback! I'm so glad that you're enjoying my story so far. Hope you enjoy this chapter!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You’re a Fire Nation soldier!” Zuko exclaimed in surprise when the man lowered his mask and turned to them. He recognized the eyes, the hair style, the familiar shape of his face. It was a sight that he’d grown up so surrounded by, that he hadn’t even realized that it could ever become something that was familiar instead of something that just was. The other three on the bison tensed at his proclamation, but the stranger just shrugged.</p><p>“I was,” He answered calmly. “My name is Chey.” He directed the group to a small clearing big enough for Appa to land in and took no time at all to start a small fire. Katara looked at Zuko oddly when the boy stood several feet back and refused to help. Ususally, the Fire Nation teen couldn’t wait to help start a fire, but this time he didn’t go near it, sitting several feet back from his countryman’s flames. Chey didn’t seem to be a bender, but Zuko didn’t want any chance that he’d be recognized, didn’t want to instinctually reach for flames that wouldn’t respond to him and let this man see his failure.</p><p>The Man bowed to Aang as the fire started to blaze, one of the perfect, respectful motions drilled into every soldier with the hands held just so. “I had heard rumors, but I hadn’t know if they were true. It is an honor to meet you, young Avatar. You uh, you are the Avatar, aren’t you?</p><p>“Yep! I’m Aang, and these are my friends, Katara, Sokka, and Z-“</p><p>“Lee.” Zuko interrupted. He was the only member of their group of 5 who hadn’t removed his disguise, and as far as he was concerned, the Blue Spirit mask would stay on until Chey was nothing but a speck behind Appa.</p><p>Sokka looked at him curiously. “Wait, your name’s Lee? You told me it was-“ Suko planted a foot on the other teen’s chest and pushed him to the ground.</p><p>“Lee.” He insisted, and Sokka’s eyes widened as he <em>finally</em> got it. How was this idiot also one of the smartest people he’d ever met? Why couldn’t the world just make sense.</p><p>“Right, right, uh Lee. I forgot I… misheard it! Must be the uh, the accent.”</p><p>There was a moment of silence in which no one dared mention that Zuko didn’t have an accent.</p><p>Oh well, it didn’t really matter if Chey knew he was using a fake name as long as no one spilled his real one. The Banished Prince Zuko hadn’t been seen in three years, no one should have any reason to suspect who he was without reason.</p><p>“Oh!” Aang said, suddenly cluing in as well. “Is this about the poster and the-“ Horrifyingly, his hand began to rise to his head, as though he were about to gesture at the scar. Before Zuko could do anything to stop idiot #2, Katara leaned over and grasped the other boy’s hand.</p><p>“Uh, so Mr.Chey, why did you save us?” She interrupted, sufficiently distracting Aang as the airbender marveled at their linked hands.</p><p>Chey looked between the group, and Zuko was starting to get really tied of how some of his absolutely best glares were being hidden by the wooden mask. Still, after a moment of hesitation the man shook his head. He looked into the mask’s eyes. “The Avatar trusts you, that is all I need to know to trust you as well.”</p><p>Zuko couldn’t hold back a snort. “That is a terrible metric. Aang trusts <em>everybody</em>.” Aang had trusted <em>Jet</em>.</p><p>Sokka let out a loud groan. “Zu-Lee. Come on man, we talked about this with the boomerang. Do you not want him to trust you?”</p><p>“Of course I want him to trust me, but have you <em>met </em>Aang?” Zuko gestured by the airbender. Aang had many good qualities, a good judge of character wasn’t one of them. Case in point, he didn’t even seem upset by their argument.</p><p>“The monks taught that we should always give someone a chance to prove their trustworthiness, and not to judge based on preconceived notions.”</p><p>Zuko gestured at the boy again, and now even Sokka was looking a little dubious.</p><p>“You can trust Z- the Blue Spirit.” Katara interrupted, turning to a Fire Nation soldier that was looking more and more concerned about the fate of the world. “He’s a good guy, he’s been helping us out a lot.” That was… unexpected.</p><p>Zuko scowled under his mask, but since no one could see it he ended up just slouching back against the walls of this strange crater. It was a perfect circle, except for the path leading to it, and he’d wondered at first if it had been earthbent. Then his mind had strayed to circular, earth bent areas and he’d wrest his thoughts away before he could reveal that weakness as he had with his temper. “Fine, whatever, all of these idiots trust me, but don’t think that just because <em>Aang</em> trusts you, that means I do. Who are you, and why did you help us?”</p><p>Sokka frowned and straightened from where he had been idly scratching the ground with a stick. “I’d like to hear that too.”</p><p>“I think we all would.” Katara added, her eyes finally creasing into the distrustful stare that had followed Zuko everywhere the first few weeks.</p><p>Chey nodded, seeming unconcerned by their scrutiny. “I serve a man, more than a man, really. He’s a  myth, but he’s real, a living legend: Jeong Jeon the Deserter.”</p><p>Zuko straightened, eyes widening, and was grateful that no one was looking his direction. Admiral Jeong Jeong was one of the names on Uncle’s list of people who could help him. He hadn’t been a deserter at the time of the letter, but a lot could happen in 3 years and if he was the kind of person who would help someone who’d been disgraced and banished… well, let’s just say it wasn’t entirely surprising for that type of person to become a deserter.</p><p>Zuko listened intently as Chey began to explain Jeong Jeong’s desertion, trying to find a way to cut in and insist that they meet with him. Luckily, he hadn’t actually had to do anything at all, as Chey started hinting that the deserter could be Aangs firebending master. Sokka had shot him a look when Aang got excited about a firebender who wasn’t aligned with the firelord, but Zuko hardly noticed. His heart was pounding, liable to beat out of his chest. Jeong Jeong was supposed to be a phenomenal master, he taught Zhao who had been known as a formidable master even back when Zuko had been at court.</p><p>If Jeong Jeong was that good, maybe he could even help Zuko to touch the flames again.</p><p>Sokka didn’t seem to follow that logic though, as he protested. “We’re not going to go find some crazy firebender. Not when…” He glanced towards Zuko again, but Chey was already interrupting.</p><p>“He’s not crazy, he’s a genius! And he’s the perfect person to train the Avatar. That’s why I followed you into that festival.”</p><p>The Water Tribe boy shook his head as he stood. “Look, thank for the help, but we’re-“</p><p>“We should stay.” Zuko interrupted, and Sokka turned to him with a gaping jaw. “Aang isn’t going to get another opportunity like this. Finding a half-way decent firebender who deserted and managed to avoid execution is practically impossible. I would have put money on never finding someone like that. If I had any.” Even Uncle probably wouldn’t have gone that far into treason, no matter the help he’d offered a banished traitor. Uncle… he needed to meet with Jeong Jeong and get news to his uncle, and he would do anything to make it happen. Including possibly telling the truth, but he wanted to avoid that for as long as he could. In the cave, his secrets had been the only things he could claim as his own, and he wasn’t willing to give those up now.</p><p>Sokka faltered. “But what about…” He was unwilling to give up secrets as well. Unfortunately, Aang, while occasionally trustworthy with a secret, often didn’t pick up on what did and didn’t constitute sensitive information.</p><p>“We don’t know that, uh, that the Blue Spirit will be able to Firebend in time Sokka. I’d love to have him as a master but…”</p><p>“But we can’t trust that.” Zuko interrupted, ignoring Chey’s curious look. Aang had already like the raccoon-cat out of the bag, so he would just have to charge forward to get to his goal, ignoring everything else. He was used to that. “So we need to go ahead with plan B for now. Chey isn’t exaggerating when he says that Jeong Jeong is known for being a master, he’s trained some of the best of the best. He knows everything there is to know about firebending.”</p><p>“Maybe he could help you get your firebending back.” Katara exclaimed excitedly.</p><p>Zuko fought not to grit his teeth, before realizing that no one could see it and deciding to give into the temptation. Yes, Katara, his lack of firebending was exactly the thing he wanted to highlight at this moment.</p><p>Chey looked between them hesitantly. “I’m not sure how someone could lose their bending, but Jeong Jeong could definitely help with whatever it is. Like I said, he’s a legend.”</p><p>Aang perked, presumably about to explain exactly <em>how </em>a firebender lost their bending, but Sokka lunged forward to cover the airbender’s mouth with his hand. “How about we <em>not </em>tell the stranger in the woods all about our friend Blue-Spirit-Lee’s past for him.”</p><p>Aang deflated, sending a wide-eyed apologetic look to Zuko. “Right, sorry.”</p><p>Zuko took a deep, audible breath in through the nose and out through the mouth before forcing himself to relax. “Whatever. Let’s go. If he agrees to teach Aang, it’ll be a long day for you tomorrow.” It was as much of an acceptance of the apology he was willing to give at the moment, and in that strange intrinsic way of his, Aang seemed to understand that as he sent Zuko a warm smile.</p><p>Suddenly, without warning men, adorning in outfits made of leaves and brandishing spears, fell from the trees. Zuko… Zuko wasn’t proud of it, but for a moment he wasn’t… there, in the clearing with a small group of maybe-friends and a man who could connect him with someone on his uncle’s list. For the moment, he was 13 again, in pain and stumbling. He’d just tripped over a rock and looked up in time to see a group of children drop for the trees and come for him.</p><p>At that moment, he was thinking the exact same words he’d thought then. <em>Not again</em>.</p><p>When the memory faded, he was panting with his dual dao in his hand, surrounded by a circle of men groaning and clutching their heads or unconscious. Only one man was still fighting, and at the moment his blades were trapping his spear so that it rested above Zuko’s head.</p><p>The firebender stepped forward, closer to his opponent to where he was well out of range of the spear blade. The shaft would leave bruises, but even that would be difficult if Zuko didn’t let the man pull back for a proper swing, and he didn’t intend to. The step also forced the attacker’s spear forward, as the crossed dual dao blades moved along the spear shaft and Zuko refused to lower his arms. The opponent moved, jerking as though to pull his spear out of Zuko’s grasp, but the move unbalanced the man and a quick jab of his newly freed blades made the man drop the weapon entirely, and with a single kick Zuko sent the figure sprawling.</p><p>Zuko immediately whirled and pointed his twin swords at Chey, ignoring the stunned and incredulous look of his traveling companions, who were so stunned that they still hadn’t even drawn their weapons. “I told you that I didn’t trust you.” He snarled. “You set us up.”</p><p>“N-no I, well, not intentionally.”</p><p>The last man whom Zuko had defeated sat up with a glare at Chey, though he didn’t try to move any further when Zuko shifted so that he had one blade pointed at each of the conscious Fire Nation men. “Jeong Jeong told you not to look for the Avatar.”</p><p>“Wait, you know these guys?” Sokka asked, and Zuko snarled.</p><p>“Oh yeah, Lin Ye and I, uh we all work for Jeong Jeong.”</p><p>“If this is the welcoming committee, I think we’ll pass.” Sokka answered sardonically, and Zuko had a pang of regret at missing out on this opportunity to meet with someone from The List. However, no part of him had calmed down from the earlier flashback, and if this was what Jeong Jeong was really like, he could wait for the next opportunity. If Jeong Jeong had lost his honor when he deserted, Zuko wanted no part of it.</p><p>“No, no, it’s just, well, I wasn’t supposed to come see you guys. B-but the Avatar <em>needs </em>a firebending master, and Jeong Jeong is a great man, and a fantastic bender. You cant’t- you aren’t going to find another master like him, not with how the Fire Nation is now. If I can just get him to talk to you-“</p><p>“Jeong Jeong doesn’t walk to talk, Chey.” The man on the ground protested. “Accept to you. You need to <em>listen </em>to him this time.”</p><p>Chey swallowed, but his face then morphed to determination. “Come with me to the camp. I can convince him. I know I can. He can be your firebending master.”</p><p>Aang shared an uncertain glance with the other three, including Zuko. His earlier enthusiasm was muted and dull. Katara bit her lip. “I don’t know, Aang. This seems dangerous to me. I think we should head out.”</p><p>Sokka looked around the clearing, eyeing Zuko for an especially long moment before shaking his head once. “Come on, Katara. I think Chey’s right, we need a firebending master, and we may not find another. It can’t be that bad to try. Besides, Zu-“</p><p>“LEE!” Zuko interrupted loudly.</p><p>“Seriously?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Fine, Lee just took out like, 5 guys singlehandedly without bending. I think we can handle it.”</p><p>All eyes turned to Zuko and the Fire Nation teen had to fight back a groan. He’d just spent the last few years trapped in a cave with only Jet for company, why did they want <em>him</em> to be the final voice on all decisions. He didn’t like this, didn’t at all. He felt like he was crawling out of his skin. He wanted nothing more that to let his hands catch fire, punch a few balls of flame just to get this gross, sticky feeling to stop festering under his skin. He pushed his chi, racing it down the paths that should have his heart’s fire shooting from him, but there was nothing. He couldn’t even make a puff of smoke, not a single spark.</p><p>In the end it was that, the hope that his flame could return with instruction, mixed with a childish desire to trust in his uncle, that had him nodding. “Collect the spears.” He commanded, and the other three teens hurried to comply.</p><p>“Oh, uh, I don’t think that’s necessary,” Chey said weakly, and Zuko cast him a glare. It was still hidden by the mask, but the speed at which Zuko’s head shot to Chey seemed to get the point across.</p><p>“I’m not going to give them what they need to stab us in the back. They work for Jeong Jeong? Fine, they can pick up their weapons from him.”</p><p>Chey hesitated, but the other had already collected their weapons and he seemed to decide that this was a battle that would be smarter not to fight. He cast one last look at the disarmed and defeated men and began to lead them through the woods. Zuko nodded for Katara to follow him first. With her water bending she was the most versatile of their combatants, the most reactive if needed. Sokka and Aang followed her and Zuko took up the rear, swords in hand and senses on high alert.</p><p>Sokka slid behind Aang and walked backwards to whisper to Zuko. “Don’t you think the Lee this is going a little far? I mean, I get it, you’re a wanted criminal, big deal. It sounds like literally everyone else here is too. I think you can relax for a bit. I mean, are we even on Fire Nation land anymore?”</p><p>“That’s not it Sokka. It’s… I can’t let them know who I am. I can’t explain why but… trust me, it would be bad.”</p><p>“Is this part of the whole… the Fire Lord himself burned your face off thing?”</p><p>Zuko felt a thrill of fear. “Maybe- maybe don’t mention that either. Trust me, please.”</p><p>Sokka was silent for a long moment. “Okay, I’ll let the others know. But if… if you’re keeping some big secret from us, it’s going to come out eventually. None of us have ever managed to keep a secret from the others for more than a few days. Jet’s whole… ‘you’ thing was kinda my record.”</p><p>“I’m honored.” Zuko said dryly, purposely looking down the path as Sokka sighed and went to whisper in Aang’s ear. Zuko let out a deep breath. He… may not have been entirely honest with Sokka on the ship. He didn’t lie per say, but he had certainly learned his lesson about being careful not to give away too much.</p><p>Sokka knew that he was the son of an important political Fire Nation family. He knew that Zuko had convinced his uncle to let him into a war council and that he had spoken out against a plan that horrified him to this day with its viciousness and apathy. He knew that Zuko had been branded by the Fire Lord himself for cowardice and disrespect.</p><p>He <em>didn’t </em>know that his ‘important family was the royal family, that ‘his uncle’ was the Dragon of the West, or the ‘the Fire Lord’ was Zuko’s father.</p><p>Zuko didn’t want him to know, didn’t want any of them to know. He was already someone who <em>should </em>be their enemy, based on his nationality alone. He knew that even now Katara didn’t completely trust him. Sokka… he wasn’t sure. He thought the boy trusted <em>Zuko</em>, but had no doubt the teen would never stop expecting the Prince of the Fire Nation to stab them all in the back, banishment or no.</p><p>Aang probably wouldn’t see a problem with it, but he didn’t count.</p><p>Maybe he was being paranoid. It was possible that they knew <em>him</em> well enough that his heritage wouldn’t be a problem. They might listen when he said that he had denounced his father, his throne, and his nation’s war during one of the countless hours he’d spent in Jet’s tender care. (Not his nation though, never his nation or his people). They might believe that he had no reason to want to return to his home in court, that no one could use him against an uncaring father, that the average people of the Fire Nation had as much reason as the rest of the world to want an end to the war.</p><p>They might… but he wasn’t taking that chance, not when he had no where else to go.</p><p>Maybe… maybe once he found Uncle, once staying with the Avatar could actually be choice instead of a necessity. But not now.</p><p>If his face was revealed now, or if one of his three companions accidentally said his name… it would be all over. They would recognize him, he was sure. Court gossip spread throughout the nation and well into the colonies. They would know who he was, what he’d done, and they would tell the others.</p><p>Maybe this had been a bad idea.</p><p>“We’re here.” Chey said, gesturing to a simple temporary hut constructed out of mud and river plants, the river clay likely burned to shape in moments using firebending. “I uh, I should go in first, make my case. You guys can wait in here.” He gestured at a closer hut.</p><p>For a moment, the hut was heavy with awkward tension. Katara and Aang clearly wanted to ask about why he was hiding things. Zuko was just as obviously not willing to talk about it. Finally, after a moment Sokka attempted to lift the mood. “So, uh, kinda crazy that this whole like, community of deserters is just hanging out in this forest like, a few miles away from a super Fire Nation-y town huh?”</p><p>“Yeah! You think they would have been discovered by now.” Aang agreed readily.</p><p>Zuko frowned, thinking back to the odd puppet, one calling themselves Fire Lord but was a mirror image of Uncle Iroh, even to the point of breathing fire in the Dragon of the West technique. He thought of the ‘Wanted’ poster notice board, on the edge of the village limits rather than at town square. He thought of the townspeople, willing to watch the soldiers chase the Avatar without moving a muscle themselves to attempt to intercept him. He thought of how there hadn’t been a single image, painting sculpture, sketch, anything, of Ozai in the entire town.</p><p>Maybe it wasn’t so surprising. Maybe the deserters weren’t as separated from Fire Nation society as they would like people to believe. He opened his mouth to say so, but before he could Chey stumbled back into the room.</p><p>Aang perked. “Can I see Jeong Jeong now?”</p><p>The man collapsed to the floor. “He won’t see you. He’s very angry that I brought you here and wants you to leave.”</p><p>“Why won’t he see me?”</p><p>He sayd you aren’t ready because you haven’t mastered waterbending and earthbending yet.”</p><p>“Wait, how does he know that.”</p><p>“He saw the way you walked into camp. He can tell.”</p><p>Zuko straightened, about to insist that he would speak to the man, but Aang beat him to it. “I’m going in anyway.” The airbender hurried out of the room before anyone could protest.</p><p>Zuko eyed the flapping tent entrance. “This… could be bad.”</p><p>“It could be good.” Sokka said, with the optimism of someone who was saying something just to be optimistic, not because they thought it was a likely outcome. A few moments later, Jeong Jeong’s tent started growing and a booming, unfamiliar voice echoed through the river shore.</p><p>“Told you.” Zuko muttered.</p><p>“Actually,” Katara said thoughtfully, “That looks like Avatar-state stuff. So things are either going well, or monumentally badly.”</p><p>“Great.” Zuko deadpanned.</p><p>Moments later, Aang rushed from the hut with a blinding grin on his face. “Guess what? Jeong Jeong agreed to be my firebending master.”</p><p>“That’s great Aang!” Katara enthused, and Zuko felt a weight lift from his shoulders. They would be staying, he had a chance. The others all settled out mats and sleeping bags, preparing to sleep. Zuko didn’t move from the wall of the hut, watching as they all slowly drifted off to sleep. It was only then that he silently left the hut and made his way down to the bank of the river. He could feel flames inside the hut, he knew the Jeong Jeong was still awake.</p><p>The boy took in a deep breath and stepped through the doorway. It was time to play some Pai Sho.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jeong Jeong was still awake, sitting to the back of the hut and surrounded by candles moving in unison in a calm, meditative beat. His voice was harsh when he yelled out to Zuko, not even bothering to turn around. “I already agreed to teach the Avatar. Leave me alone.”</p><p>Zuko swallowed thickly, awkwardly. He shifted on his feet. The wood of the mask felt heavier now, somehow, and his heart swooped with the ever-shifting sensations of hope and fear. Finally, after <em>years, </em>he was faced with someone that Uncle had trusted to help him way back when. It was like the last three years could be wiped clean, he was finally on the path he should have always been on.</p><p>If he didn’t mess it up.</p><p>He was going to mess it up wasn’t he?</p><p>No, he wasn’t. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t let himself.</p><p>“I uh, I’m not here to talk about that. I… heard that you’re a really good Pai Sho player.”</p><p>The man straightened, entire body going tense as he whirled on Zuko. His eyes squinted suspiciously. “You are a fan of the game?” He asked, the tone neutral, searching.</p><p>Zuko shrugged, heart beating an uneven tempo in his chest. “My uncle taught me to play. I’m not the best, but… he showed me a few tricks.” There, old man. Was that vague and hint-y enough for you?</p><p>Apparently it was, as the man cleared away some of the candles and pulled a board and a small box out of the shadows.</p><p>“I don’t have my own pieces.” Zuko admitted, and Jeong Jeong paused for a moment before pulling out a second box. It was considered lucky to only play with your own tiles, but most players kept a second set for guests. The tent was silent for a few moments as the pair set up the board for the start of the game. Zuko was relieved to see that Jeong Jeong’s spare set was complete, with even some of the more obscure tiles. The set in Zuko’s hand was much nicer than the one in Jeong Jeong’s. Where Zuko’s tiles were sharp corners, pearly white tiles with brightly colored designs, Jeong Jeong’s tiles had slightly rounded corners and chipped and dull paint worn down from years of use.</p><p>It reminded him of Uncle’s.</p><p>“The guest has the first move.” The deserter said, eyeing Zuko carefully.</p><p>Zuko took several long, even breaths. He’d memorized his uncle’s instructions that day on the beach, and repeated them to himself ad nauseum in the cave. He just had to make sure he didn’t forget them now.</p><p>Carefully, the boy pried the Lotus Flower tile out of the box and put it in the very center of the board. Jeong Jeong continued to look at him steadily. His voice showed careful non-surprise when he spoke again. “I see you favor the White Lotus Gambit. Not many still favor the old ways.”</p><p>Zuko felt something in him relax at those words, like he was a marionet that had been caught in too-tight strings was finally being dropped. His mouth was dry as he finished the quote. “But those who do can always find a friend."</p><p>The firebending master eyed Zuko for a beat, again. The man seemed to like just staring and looking and trying to seem intimidating.</p><p>It worked, but Zuko would never admit it.</p><p>Finally, the man silently laid his own piece onto the board. It was exactly where the boy was expecting it to go and so he felt a rush of excitement that had him smiling as he hurriedly placed his own piece where it should go. The two players moved immediately after one another, their movements a mirror image of each other as a picture began to form on the Pai Sho table. Jeong Jeong paused for a moment before placing his final tile.</p><p>“It is said that how a man plays Pai Sho reveals more of who he is than anything else. However, as this game is said to reveal the truth, it is considered very rude to hide your face as you play. I would appreciate it if you removed your mask.”</p><p>Zuko froze. He’d nearly forgotten that he was still dressed as the Blue Spirit. However, he found himself frozen at the thought of removing it. While he worse the mask, there was a degree of separation between him and… who he was. He hadn’t been Prince Zuko in so long. He’d been ‘the firebender’, nameless, for years and then Zuko, random Fire Nation teenager, for the weeks that followed. It had been… hard, losing such a key part of his identity. However, he found it even harder to think of picking it back up. Banished prince, cowardly disgrace to the throne and disrespectful son. It didn’t matter that Father was <em>wrong</em>. He was the one who’d been banished.</p><p>He had no doubt that he would be recognized the instant that the mask was removed, that Jeong Jeong would <em>know, </em>if he didn’t already. Still, Uncle trusted this man, and Uncle had never hurt him. If he didn’t trust Uncle… he didn’t know what to do, didn’t know where he was going or what he was trying to do. It was either trust Jeong Jeong now, or give up.</p><p>And he wouldn’t give up without a fight.</p><p>With jerky, fast movements, before he could change his mind, Zuko tore off the mask. He waited with bated breaths, for what he wasn’t sure. For the man to bow as royalty was due, for him to angrily kick Zuko out, for him to say <em>something</em>. However, the elder firebender just nodded, not a hint of surprise on his face, and played his final piece. Zuko quickly completed the image, smiling at the simple image of a lotus flower that now filled the board.</p><p>Jeong Jeong nodded. “The White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets. You have certainly waited longer than we expected to seek the lotus. The Grand Master was growing… concerned.”</p><p>“I didn’t intend to. I was… captured, by a band of Earth Kingdom” children “rebels while I was still wounded. I was able to hide my identity from them, but…” He pushed back the long black sleeve of his robe to reveal the scarring that littered his right wrist, the calluses that had formed where the manacle had rubbed his skin raw. “I wasn’t able to escape until the Avatar's friend found me.”</p><p>“I see.”</p><p>“They, uh, they kept me alive because they wanted to practice fighting a firebender, but they… they kept me in a cave, chained to the wall.”</p><p>Jeong Jeong took in a single sharp, deep breath. “This whole time?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Zuko said, naturally raspy voice sounding even harsher.</p><p>“Your bending?”</p><p>Suddenly, Zuko wanted nothing more than to spill out every detail of the torture of that dark, cold, stifling place, to speak about losing his firebending to someone who would actually <em>understand</em> what it meant. “I-I started suffering from sun deprivation about… about a year in, maybe a little over a year. It was hard to tell how much time had passed. I didn’t… I didn’t lose it completely until a few months later. I haven’t been able to bend in almost two years.” His voice had grown soft at the end, almost ashamed.</p><p>Jeong Jeong simply stared at the boy evenly. When he spoke, his voice was even rougher than it had been. “You are strong, to have survived that. Most firebenders do not live past the day of loss.”</p><p>“I almost didn’t.” Zuko admitted. “It’s… do you know if I will ever- if it can be reversed?”</p><p>The man leaned back, face folded in concentration before he spoke, voice apologetic. “I… have not heard many stories of sun deprivation where the victim was able to regain their bending. However,” the man added just as Zuko was beginning to fall into despair. “There are not… many situations I’ve heard of where the bender survived the experience. As I said, most die on the day of the initial loss, and those that do survive that are often eventually killed by their captors in one way or another. Sun Deprivation is a very specific and rare kind of torture. It happens rarely and is survived even more so. You survived, so do not lose hope. How is your chi?”</p><p>“It’s been more active now that I can feel the sun more. Not what it used to be… but it’s getting stronger. I can’t create my own fire yet, but I can… I can feel existing flames, sometimes. I can get a proper fire started much faster than Katara, but I don’t know if I’m actually controlling it. I know that by the time it’s a proper fire, it doesn’t listen to me, but sometimes I feel like the kindling responds, but I don’t exactly have a lot of time to practice when we need the fire for food. I-I’m still not sure how comfortable they are with me yet. I didn’t want to risk it.”</p><p>Jeong Jeong nodded, and with a wave of his hands extinguished all the candles but one. “Do you remember how to properly meditate? Match the flame to your breath. A single candle’s flame should respond to the smallest of chi.”</p><p>Zuko resisted the urge to say that he doubted he could ever forget how to properly meditate, not after how he’d used it to cut through the long, monotonous hours stuck in the cave. Instead he simply folded himself into a proper meditation pose and prepared himself mentally to potentially fail at a toddler exercise. He closed his eyes and took even, measured deep breaths. He reached out his chi, feeling the warmth and life of the dancing flame. Within a few breaths, he felt the warmth of his chi and the warmth of the fire become one. He kept his eyes closed for several seconds longer, terror running through him at the thought that the candle flame was as wild and directionless as it always had been.</p><p>However, when he firmly stuffed that fear into a box and forced his eyes open, the small candle flame was moving in sync with his breaths. The relief that shot through him in that moment was like a physical blow.</p><p>He… he could firebend, at least a little. It wasn’t lost. <em>He</em> wasn’t lost.</p><p>The flame flickered as his relief overshadowed him, but Zuko quickly wrested the flame back under control. It was amazing to realize that he could just… do that. It felt better, more powerful, more heady than the day he’d learned his first (and only) advanced kata.</p><p>Jeong Jeong was smiling down at the candle as well. “See if you can fan this flame. Get it as large as you can and let me know when you can no longer control it.” He sent Zuko a hard stare. “I am assured that I don’t need to warn you not to do this on your own, or any time there is not another firebender present. Or the waterbender, I suppose. Someone who can bank or control the flames.”</p><p>Zuko shook his head. “No, I… I know full well how destructive fire can be.” He didn’t look away from the candle, but he could feel the deserter’s gaze on his scar like it was a physical thing.</p><p>Jeong Jeong didn’t mention it though. Instead, he simply grunted. “Then I will spare you the lecture. For now.”</p><p>Zuko snorted. “Save it for Aang. He may need that lesson drilled in a few times. He’d a good kid, but he’s… over excitable.”</p><p>Jeong Jeong grunted, but said nothing. Zuko stoked the flame higher and higher, until it was a good half foot higher than the short candle, at which point the single lick of flame separated into multiple tails. “I lost it.” He admitted, and watched as with a single breath the elder firebender brought it down to a more organic flame size.</p><p>The man nodded. “Now, see if you can take the flame into your own hand.”</p><p>Zuko nodded, and brought his hand to the candle. He linked his chi to the flame once more, and called to it, guiding the tamed fire to the tip of one of his fingers. It followed eagerly, but removed from the original flame source, it lasted only a moment before it sputtered and dissolved into smoke. A pang of pain shot through the teen’s heart as the fire died, but Jeong Jeong seemed pleased.</p><p>“You were able to call the flame to you, and you were able to control it well. I would say that your firebending is currently on par with the average 5-year-old firebender. Do <em>not</em> think that this is a disparaging comment on your abilities, rather to your chi levels. If you were previously unable to firebend at all, that means that your chi energies are regenerating. In time, it is possible that you will gain all of your ability. It is equally possible that they will recharge to a certain point and go no further. There isn’t enough known about Sun Deprivation survivors for us to be certain. In either case, it can only help to work the chi paths as much as possible, to get them used to being used again. I will give you some beginner activities to work through as I train the Avatar on the proper breathing.”</p><p>Zuko bowed, folding himself prostrate on the ground in a move he hadn’t made since the Agni Kai. “Thank you, Sifu.”</p><p>“You are welcome, Prince Zuko.”</p><p>The teen rose and started to the door. Even the small bit of firebending he’d done was making him exhausted, in the proud, self-satisfied way. As he went to the door, Jeong Jeong spoke up once more. “You know, there is an old joke that court gossip travels faster the military orders. An exaggeration, of course, though not much of one when the news is especially juicy. I have many men who have come to me after defecting, as I am the only commanding officer to survive doing so.”</p><p>“Some of them live in that village, don’t they?”</p><p>For the first time that night, the master looked surprised. “Under new names. How did you know?”</p><p>Zuko snorted. “Everything in that town is a tiny bit of treason.”</p><p>“Of course. Well, you may not have noticed during the festival due to the masks, but that town is filled with mainly uncommonly young men and women. Three years ago, they would have been new recruits.”</p><p>Zuko’s breath caught. “Did- did they all come from the same division?”</p><p>“They did.”</p><p>There was a lump in Zuko’s throat, difficult to breath around and impossible to force words through. In the end, he didn’t even try. He simply bowed to the man once more as Jeong Jeong pulled out a brush and a piece of parchment, then he fled the hut. If he had to lift his mask to wipe his eyes as he made his way back to their hut, well that was no one’s business and no one could prove anything.</p><hr/><p>When Sokka woke, Zuko was gone. Not entirely unusual, considering the firebender woke up at the crack of way-too-early every day, but he could see through the small hut windows that it was still dark out, something was wrong.</p><p>He would like to believe that it was that instinct, that sense of wrongness that had woken him. Unfortunately, he knew for a fact that he had actually just drunk too much at the fair to get the burn of the fire flakes out of his mouth. Now did this hut have a bathroom or…</p><p>The hut did not have a bathroom. Luckily, the woods had plenty of trees. Though, Sokka didn’t like that Zuko wasn’t back by the time he slipped back into their guest quarters. Katara and Aang were still undisturbed, sleeping heavily, but Sokka no longer felt tired. No, he was too keyed up. Old anxieties and fears were surfacing. Like, <em>old </em>old, like <em>cave times </em>old. Now, he wasn’t worried about Zuko being evil or anything. Not anymore. It was just…</p><p>Zuko hadn’t really had a chance to be around Fire Nation people since they broke him out. Not ones that weren’t soldiers or Avatar hunters who just shot fire first and asked questions never. Well, presumably they would ask questions after capturing them, but based on Zuko’s reaction to the wanted poster, those questions wouldn’t have been… positive. So, this was the first time Zuko had been around friendly fire (hah) in years. And they were friends, Sokka knew that. He trusted him.</p><p>But Zuko always went quiet when they talked about the evils of the Fire Nation. He wouldn’t look anyone in the eye for hours if they started talking about how Aang was going to fight the Fire Lord. Sometimes he actually left. Katara had confronted him about that once, and they got him to agree that the war was wrong and needed to be stopped, but he’d clammed up right after. He’d yelled something about how the situation was ‘too difficult for peasants like you to understand’ and stormed off.</p><p>So, yeah. He wasn’t <em>worried </em>worried. It was just… here he was, their firebender friend, who was never super outspoken on his opinion of the war, surrounded by other fire nation soldiers, some of whom had pointed spears at them just a few hours back. And he'd disappeared. After they had fallen asleep. He'd purposely waited until they fell asleep. Sokka was just a little… concerned.</p><p>He elected to eschew his sleeping bag completely, instead choosing to sit cross legged on the hut floor, boomerang sheathed but near at hand. He rummaged in his bag in the light of the smoldering fireplace that kept the hut comfortably warm. After a while, he came across a small swath of thin material. A scarf that he’d bought as a piece of retail therapy at that fortuneteller’s volcano town. It had been dirt cheap too, the vendor said that Madame Wu had predicted that ‘someone would need it’. What a load of crap, it had just been sitting in his bag this whole time.</p><p>He didn’t even like the pattern. He thought he would, it was blue and white swirled together and very water-tribey. However, it was too close while being too…different. Sure, the colors were good, but the patterns weren’t quite as… flowy as proper water tribe fashion. It just made him miss home even more. So, to the bottom of the bag it had gone.</p><p>He wondered if it was a Fire Nation design. In retrospect, it did kinda resemble Zuko’s mask.</p><p>As soon as the thought flit into his mind, the door of the hut slid open and Zuko slid silently in. </p><p>“Hey man.” Sokka said, softly to keep from waking the others up. “Where ya been?” Trying for casual and non-confrontational so that <em>Zuko </em>didn’t wake the others up.</p><p>The older teen tensed, then sighed and mirrored Sokka’s sitting position. He took off the mask and cricked his neck. He was so casual, so calm that Sokka immediately felt like the worst friend ever for distrusting him. Zuko couldn’t lie to save his life, literally. If he had been doing anything suspicious then he would be tenser than a bow string. “I went to speak with Master Jeong Jeong. About… my firebending.”</p><p>Sokka blinked. Oh yeah, they had mentioned that back in the clearing, hadn’t they? All of the drama with the spear dudes, and Jeong Jeong’s refusal, and Avatar Roku had kinda overshadowed it though. Wow. Sokka really <em>was </em>the worst friend ever. To make up for it, he leaned forward eagerly. “And? What happened?”</p><p>Zuko’s golden eyes seemed even brighter than usual, despite how the only light in the room was the pile of coals behind Sokka. “I… I <em>firebent</em>. I was able to control a candle. I-It’s not much. It’s like I’m a toddler again, but… Sokka I <em>firebent.</em> I could feel the flames. It was… it was <em>amazing</em>. Like I had spent months as a zombie or a ghost and I’m finally… I’m finally coming back to life.”</p><p>Sokka would never <em>get </em>that feeling. He would never have it, never feel it himself, never even understand it, not like Zuko and Katara and Aang. He wasn’t a bender, would never really know what it meant to be one. This was not a time for petty jealousy though, not when he was already 0 to 2 for being a terrible friend tonight. “That’s <em>amazing </em>man, congratulations.” He jumped up and gave the firebender a firm hug. As usual, Zuko went tense and still, refusing to relax or reciprocate. “Okay, at first I thought it was a Fire Nation thing, but I saw like a hundred hugs at that festival thing, so no more excuses not to get in on this.”</p><p>“What? Of course it’s not a Fire Nation thing? How could an entire nation be against hugs? It’s… I guess more of a family thing.”</p><p>“Your family didn’t <em>hug.</em>” This explained so much.</p><p>“No. Well, my Uncle used to. Before… But then, after… Oh, and my mom did, but… you know.”</p><p>Sokka most definitely did <em>not </em>know, considering Zuko never talked about his life, but… he did know about mothers who weren’t there to give hugs anymore, who hadn’t been for a long time. “Yeah, I know. Well we will have to introduce you to it. It is a very important life skill.”</p><p>Zuko snorted, more calm than Sokka had ever seen him, eyes straying back to the fire pit every now and then as though itching to bend some more. Sokka almost asked him to, but knew that with the hungry way Zuko was staring at the flames, if he could bend then he would be. So instead, he let out an exaggerated yawn. “Well, I’m hitting the sleeping sack. You might want to too, considering you’re freaky firebending-ness will be waking you up in like, 2 hours.”</p><p>“Fine.” Zuko said with a familiar scowl, snatching his mask off the ground and fitting it over his face. Sokka frowned.</p><p>“We need to get you one of those half mask things, like Chey had at the festival.”</p><p>Zuko snorted. “That covered the wrong half.”</p><p>“Oops.” Suddenly, an idea sparked and Sokka pulled out that scarf again and made quick work of carving out a pair of eye holes. “Here, try this! It should be a little more comfortable.”</p><p>Zuko took it hesitantly, still unsure with accepting anything from them, but he tied it around his head smartly, running his fingers over the fabric and relaxing slightly when he found it covered the entire scar. “Thanks.” He said reluctantly as he pulled out his blanket. “I really needed that.”</p><p>… this proved nothing and fortunetelling was fake.</p><p>Sokka shook his head and plopped down on his own bedroll, facing Katara. Her hands were clenched into fists and her eyes were open and teary. She heard that then. The part with the hugs, and the mom. They locked eyes and Sokka could watch as they hardened with determination.</p><p>The mama saber-tooth-moose-lion had awoken.</p><p>
  <em>Finally.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Zuko's outburst saved part of Division 41 and no one can convince me otherwise!!!</p><p>Also, in case it wasn't clear, I think that Iroh was really affectionate and huggy pre-Ba Sing-Se, but I kinda got the impression that he was kinda distant when he came back to the palace after Lu Ten's death. He was grieving so he was probably not super affectionate, and only really became close to Zuko again (canonically) after the Agni Kai. Is kinda what makes sense to me, based on the flashbacks in The Storm. </p><p>Also, did anyone realize that Ursa had a military position? She was a Lieutenant (Lu Ten's Aunt. Lieutenant. Puns.)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Second episode done!! I hope you guys enjoy, please let me know what you think! </p><p>Thanks for reading!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was nice, Zuko thought, to wake up and not sit around for hours waiting. Instead, he woke to find the small camp bustling with activity. The men with the spears were back, sharpening their weapons and poking at the cooking fire pits scattered around the clearing. They didn’t seem to be benders, but like many soldiers they had long gotten used to waking with them. Jeong Jeong sat apart from the others near the river shore, meditating in the sun. Without a word Zuko joined him, simply breathing to move his chi and relishing in the gentle warmth of the rising sun.</p><p>It felt like there was something… more to it now, now that he knew that he was actually working towards being a proper bender again. Nothing had actually changed of course, nothing to do with the sun at least, but now he had a nugget of hope reflecting it’s warmth.</p><p>A small clatter beside him brought the boy’s eyes shooting open. The sun was much further than he expected it to be, he had been meditating for a long time. The others would be waking up any second… oh. He turned to see the clatter was Katara, setting a ceramic bowl of congee at his knee. Zuko blinked in surprise at the traditional fire nation breakfast. It even smelled like it had the usual spices that kept it from being a gelatinous flavorless mush.</p><p>The girl smiled at him, an odd expression on her face. Well, not that odd. He’d seen it before, just not… directed at him. “Zuko! Good morning. I got one of the soldiers to teach me how he was making breakfast, I figured you would be the best one to tell me if it tasted okay. Besides, I know how you get when you meditate. I knew if I didn’t bring you something now it would have been old by the time you got to it.” Despite her words she didn’t seem to be… complaining. In fact, she sounded almost fond.  </p><p>“Oh… thanks?” He took a bite and smiled at the familiar flavors, filled with enough cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger that the rice was taking on a tan-ish color. It wasn’t especially spicy, but it was full of flavor. “It’s good.” He said simply, taking another large bite.</p><p>The girl smiled as well and took a bite of her own. Her face scrunched for a second as she tried to get used to the flavors, but in the end she must have decided she liked them because she smiled before taking another bite. “It <em>is </em>good. And it’s something I can feed both Aang and Sokka without needing to substitute any ingredients, which is basically a miracle in and of itself.”</p><p>Zuko snorted. “Are the others up yet?”</p><p>“Not Sokka.” She snorted. “Aang is, but he’s checking on Momo and Appa. I was kind of surprised that Jeong Jeong didn’t wake him up. You know, the whole ‘rising with the sun’ thing.”</p><p>Zuko frowned and stretched his hands to the sky. “Yeah. Its weird, but… Jeong Jeong is known for being a really good master. I’m sure he has his reasons.” The teen tilted his bowl to get the last of the meal out of the bowl. He felt it hit against his forehead and Katara let out a soft snicker when he brought it down.</p><p>“You have a little…” With a quick swipe of his hand a bit of water from the stream brushed across the fabric of the scarf wrapped around his head, coming off slightly opaque with the congee she had been wiping away. Another flick of the opposite wrist and the cloth dried.</p><p>“Thanks…” He said awkwardly. She was acting... weird. He didn’t have time to think about that though, the action had reminded him of his mask. “I have to find Jeong Jeong. I need to talk with him.”</p><p>She looked puzzled, but nodded, pointing up the hill a bit. “I think he was talking with one of those guys with the hawks.”</p><p>Zuko nodded, handing the bowl over when Katara reached for it and running up the hill. He arrived on time to see a messenger hawk take flight, Jeong Jeong ducking down to speak to the hawker with low, serious words. He stood back until the men were finished before moving to speak with the firebender privately. “Sifu?” He asked hesitantly. “If you would, could you… they don’t know… who I am, yet.”</p><p>The elder bender frowned. “I am not sure I understand, Prince Zuko.”</p><p>“That. They don’t know that Zuko is-that I am- the prince. And I would like to keep it that way for now.”</p><p>Jeong Jeong nodded slowly. “I suppose that is wise. You would have many enemies based on your parentage. Many in the Earth Kingdom would seek to use you. Discretion would be the better route.”</p><p>Which was a much better reason than <em>I’m afraid my maybe-friends won’t like me anymore if they knew the truth</em> so he nodded. “I told them to call me Lee for now.”</p><p>Again the man nodded. 'Zuko' was not exactly a common name. In fact, it was reserved for royalty. There was no subtly whatsoever. 'Lee' however, well there were a million 'Lee's. </p><p>“Yo Zuko!” Sokka’s voice suddenly yelled as the teen appeared and the paler teen winced, glad that the hawker had long since disappeared.</p><p>Jeong Jeong eyed him wryly. “You may wish to remind them.”</p><p>“Right.”</p><p>The master shook his head. “I am off to begin training the Avatar. Lee, I expect you to join us as soon as you are free.”</p><p>Zuko bowed, and Sokka squinted in confusion. “Dude, you didn’t tell him your real name yet? He didn’t make you take off your mask last night?”</p><p>“He… it’s important that no one knows. Even if they are all deserters… its- no one can know.”</p><p>Sokka squinted at him. “That’s your ‘I’m lying’ voice. You’re hiding something.”</p><p>“Yeah. My identity.” He gestured at the scarf tied around his face and covering his scar.</p><p>“Something more than that.” Sokka argued, and Zuko simply glared at him in response. “Come on man, you know you can trust me.”</p><p>“I just…” He didn’t say anything, couldn’t say anything. Why couldn’t he think of anything to say. Instead his hands pulsed, relaxing and forming fists over and over.</p><p>Sokka sighed. “Fine. Fine, it doesn’t matter because <em>I </em>trust <em>you</em>. Okay? I can do that first, and I think that’s fair because you’re probably super out of practice with that kinda stuff. Like hugging. You’ll get there. So for now, let’s just find go find Katara and Aang. You can get your flame on, Katara can do her water magic, and I can try and find a place far enough away to fish, but close enough to watch an actual adult try to handle Aang.”</p><p>Zuko snorted, and accepted the arm Sokka threw over his shoulders. “Speaking of Katara, she was acting kind of weird today.”</p><p>“Oh that. Congratulations, you’re officially part of the gAang. You’re just going to have to get used to it.”</p><p>“Is that a threat?”</p><p>“You know what, sure. A threat of hugs and mother puffin-lemming-ing.”</p><p>Zuko snorted and rolled his eyes. They lapsed in silence for a moment until they came up to the scene of Aang standing on a rock in front of the master. Zuko frowned. The Avatar’s legs were too close together. He needed to- ah, there it was. When they just barely out of hearing range, Zuko forced himself to speak. “I do. Trust you, I mean.”</p><p>“I know. I’ll let Katara know about the ‘Lee’ thing.”</p><p>“Thanks.”</p><p>“Lee!” Jeong Jeong yelled. “Standing meditation!”</p><p>Zuko immediately moved into position, legs spread wide and knees bent at nearly 90-degree angles. His hands folded into the shape of the flame. Immediately the pose brought him into a familiar headspace of calm emptiness as he focused on nothing more that the heat of the sun and his own inner flame.</p><p>Aang’s face scrunched, but then he dropped into a perfect imitation of Zuko’s form. “Now what?” He asked the master.</p><p>“Now concentrate… Good. Good.” He said, walking away as Aang’s face warped into an intense grimace.</p><p>“Wait, why do I do now?” He asked, breaking form.</p><p>“Silence! Talking is not concentrating. Look at your friends.” He commanded, gesturing at Zuko and Katara, the latter of whom was focusing on juggling a large blob of water. “Are they talking? Even that oaf knows to concentrate on what he’s doing!”</p><p>Sokka looked up from where he was fishing to make a sound of protest, but made no other attempt to move. Zuko had to fight not to laugh and diminish the masters words.</p><p>“But what am I concentrating on?” Aang asked.</p><p>“Feel the heat of the sun. It is the greatest source of fire.” Zuko couldn’t completely avoid shuddering at that, feeling the stares of Katara and Sokka on his back. Even Aang glanced his way before returning his attention to Jeong Jeong. “Yet it is in complete balance with nature.”</p><p>“But when do I get to actually make fire?”</p><p>“Concentrate!” The man yelled, stalking up to Zuko as the water tribe teens giggled at Aang’s scolding. “You as well, Lee. Concentrate on the sun, on how it hits your chi and joins with your inner fire.”</p><p>Zuko nodded, but moved forward to stand opposite Aang. The boy had a pout on his face, but Zuko snapped to get his attention before taking deep, deliberate breaths. After a few moments, Aang’s breathing matched his and they concentrated on the sun together.</p><hr/><p>“Are you still doing this?” Sokka asked, collapsing on the bit of soft grass beside Zuko.</p><p>The Fire Nation teen glanced over at the Water Tribe boy, but didn’t answer. Jeong Jeong had released him and Aang from their sun meditation after a few hours. He’d taken Aang up a mountain, presumably to have him work on his breath control in the higher altitude and set Zuko up with a basic don’t-let-it-burn practice. When he was a kid in the palace, it had been done with a bit of rice paper held in a circular hoop, but the leaf worked surprisingly well as a replacement. It was well into the afternoon by now and Zuko’s leaf was still smoldering, but it was still approximately the size of Jeong Jeong’s thumb.</p><p>“Yes. It’s a good thing. It means that I have good control.”</p><p>“But you’ve been doing nothing but sit here for <em>hours.</em> Aren’t you bored?”</p><p>Zuko didn’t know how to explain that he’d done so much more than <em>sit there. </em>He’d listened to birdsong and leaves moving. He’d felt the sun and the wind and the grass. He'd smelled the wild flowers and the spring water. He'd <em>firebent</em>. He’d done more these last few hours than he had in days back in the cave. He didn’t know how to say that though, so he said a simple, “No.”</p><p>“Nothing to add to that? Okay. Well, Aang just got back from the mountain, in case you were wondering.”</p><p>Zuko frowned. “Did he come back or did Master Jeong Jeong bring him back.”</p><p>“He came back on his own… that probably means he wasn’t supposed to do that, was he?”</p><p>“No.” Zuko sighed.</p><p>Sokka sighed. “He was already going into Jeong Jeong’s hut when I left to find you. Want to help me do damage control?”</p><p>“Not especially.” But he moved to get to his feet.</p><p>Before either of them could move however, Jeong Jeong appeared along the path. He frowned at the scene. “Are you distracting my student?”</p><p>“Um… maybe?”</p><p>Jeong Jeong scowled, but his expression eased when Zuko handed him the leaf, hole still tightly contained. “Good, good. You have impressive control, considering.”</p><p>“Uncle used to tell me the story of the captive bender. I tried to practice when I still could. And even when I couldn’t, I could still move my chi.”</p><p>The man nodded. “As I would expect from the nephew of the Grand Master. Come, I believe you are ready to learn a favorite technique of your Uncle’s. One does not need to make fire to control the flame needed to steep tea.”</p><p>Sokka frowned as they followed the master. “Wait, does that mean he knows Uncle Tea? He knows who you are? I thought you said he didn’t know who you are.”</p><p>“I never said that.”</p><p>“Then why-“</p><p>“Oaf. Some things are not necessary for you to know.”</p><p>“Oh, you see, there is literally nothing you could have said that made me want to know more.”</p><p>“Sokka…”</p><p>“Ugh. Fine! Fine. I trust you, bla bla, we can wait till you’re ready, yada yada. I’m going to go figure out if a Fire Nation spear feels the same as a Water Tribe spear.”</p><p>Zuko watched the younger teen duck around to bother some of Jeong Jeong’s warriors and snorted with amusement. He figured the chances of Sokka getting stabbed was about 50/50. Maybe more if he was being especially annoying. So probably 80/20.</p><p>Zuko followed Jeong Jeong into his hut and focused on keeping a single flame as steady as possibly. As promised, Jeong Jeong used the flame to heat the water for tea, in tune enough with the heat that Zuko controlled that he would grunt whenever the boy’s control slipped by more than a few degrees. While he controlled the flame, Jeong Jeong guided him in a game of pai sho, a game he had largely forgotten beyond the secret code, but the teen knew that it would be a better cover if he could actually play.</p><p>Even if he didn’t play <em>well</em>.</p><p>… he’d forgotten how much he hated this game.</p><p>The tea scalded when Jeong Jeong took his earth tile for the third game in a row, and when the master won a few moves later, he sighed and got to his feet. “I do not believe that we need to work on control any longer.”</p><p>“Wha- what? Is this because of the tea? I-I didn’t-“</p><p>The firebender held up a hand, palm flat. “You kept temperature admirably while concentrating on the game. I believe your claim that you used your time in captivity to strengthen your control. Now, it is time to work on your katas, so that when you are able to produce flame again, you have a basis to grow from. That is, assuming that you haven’t also worked on those.”</p><p>Zuko paused and bowed. “I’m sure that I could always learn from a master such as you, Sifu Jeong Jeong.” He said diplomatically. His face was stern and blank, but he couldn’t stop the relief that finally, some of his court manners were reappearing now that he was back among his people.</p><p>Not that he had ever been particularly skilled at that.</p><p>The master simply grunted in reply and pushed back the curtain of the hut. The pair of firebenders blinked to see Aang sitting in a humble bow on the rock outside the hut door. Zuko got over his surprise first and nodded in approval before the boy could even speak.</p><p>“I thought about what you said. I promise I’ll be more patient.” Aang said, Zuko stepped back. He knew the boy was powerful, but for fire one needed patience, discipline, and control. If he had really been waiting there for as long as Zuko thought, then he was making progress. Jeong Jeong was a good teacher.</p><p>The elder firebender seemed to see the same thing as Zuko, as he said “We’re going to work with fire, now.”</p><p>Aang immediately shot to his feet, pure joy stretching across his face, and for a moment it lightened Zuko to see someone as genuinely excited about his element as he was, though Aang wore it a little more obviously. Jeong Jeong set him up with the same leaf exercise that Zuko had been working on earlier, and lead the more experienced teen a little further away. The man had just begun walking Zuko through a kata- one of the most basic ones that existed, whose steps were etched into the stone floor of the cave he’d been trapped in- when a spearman ran up to them.</p><p>“Master, there is trouble.”</p><p>Jeong Jeong straightened immediately, yelling at Zuko as he followed the man. “Go to the Avatar, pack up what you can. My men would not disturb me if it wasn’t an emergency.”</p><p>Zuko didn’t hesitate, running back to the stretch of river where they had left the others. His good eye widened in horror at the scene he came up to. Aang was juggling a flame, blasély throwing it over his head like it was one of his harmless balls of air, juggling the flaring fire like it was a rock or a ball. He ran even faster, calling for Aang, but that didn’t stop the boy from crouching and spinning in an imperfect mockery of the juggler they had seen at the festival.</p><p>He wasn’t fast enough.</p><p>Why was he never <em>enough</em>?</p><p>The boy stood with his hands lifted high and let out a circular wave of fire so large that even a master would struggle to control it. He was heedless of Katara standing so close, too close why was she <em>that close</em>.</p><p>Zuko yelled, “No!” and threw out his hands in desperate attempt to wrest control of the flames but his cry was lost in Katara’s scream of pain, his bending did nothing more than pull licks of flame his way to tease across his splayed palms.</p><p>Katara collapsed onto herself, clutching her arms to her chest as Sokka, Aang, and Zuko rushed to her aid. Sokka turned to Aang with a fury in his eyes that made Zuko shiver, but he ignored the confrontation and Aang’s stumbled apologies and pulled Katara to her feet. “Come on, I have some salve in my pack, the sooner we can get it on, the better.”</p><p>“Katara, I-“ The Avatar started, but Zuko was Not In the Mood.</p><p>“You’ve done enough Aang.” The teen seethed angrily, leading the still sobbing waterbender up the hill as Sokka got angrier. Zuko’s stuff was still packed in Appa’s saddle, but as always the bison was faithfully right where they left him, relaxing contentedly just outside the main section of the camp proper. The camp was even busier than it had been in the morning, but Zuko paid it no mind and lead Katara to the portion of camp that was against the riverbank.</p><p>“Try to clean the wounds. If you can, bend the water so that it’s colder. It will help with the pain.” He took a deep breath, remembering what the healer had told him when his face had burned. He eyed the arms held under the clear water. “You’ll scar, but the sooner we can get the salve on, the better. I think it dispersed before it could do too bad of damage. As long as it doesn’t get infected you should be able to move you hands naturally, it shouldn’t even harm your bending. I’m going to go get that salve, I’ll be right back. Don’t move.”</p><p>Katara sniffled, her voice sounding watery and strained. “Th- thanks Zuko.”</p><p>“It’s going to be okay, Katara.” He promised, and ran off on unsteady legs to grab the medical supplies. By the time his shaking hands had managed to pull out the salve (He’d stolen it from the convent where they’d met that water tribe warrior. He wasn’t planning on going anywhere without burn salve ever again.) Katara was standing with completely healed hands and Jeong Jeong had arrived. The two were talking, concentrating on the girl’s perfectly healed hands.</p><p>“But you’re a great master.” She protested against… something the firebender had said. “You have powers I’ll never know.”</p><p>“Water brings healing and life.” Jeong Jeong replied. “But fire brings only destruction and pain. It forces those of us burdened with it’s care to walk a razor’s edge between humanity and savagery. Eventually, we’re torn apart.”</p><p>Zuko felt cold and too hot all at once. When he spoke, his voice was hot with a rage he hadn’t felt in years. “Is <em>that </em>what you’ve been teaching the Avatar?” He asked, voice harsh and angry.</p><p>Jeong Jeong barely glanced at him. “I understand that losing this curse does not make one free. The curse is one that, once given, cannot be given up until death. I do not begrudge your desire to relearn, not when so many meet their death when the curse is lifted. But you must admit the relief you feel in knowing that for a few moments you are free from being a herald of destruction.”</p><p>“No! No, I don’t feel relief at all. And neither would you, if you faced that darkness. That cold. That unknown. That helplessness. Fire isn’t just destruction. It isn’t just death. Fire is- fire is light and warmth and safety and- and- fire is <em>life</em>.” Suddenly, it was like power rushed through him, and whether it was the pure rage and passion he felt in that moment, his chi being activated by the practice, or something else he wasn’t sure of, he felt a greater connection to the flame than he’d ever felt before.</p><p>He swept his hands out in front of him, and suddenly every cooking fire in the camp went out. Zuko glared at Jeong Jeong, chin jutted out proudly and eyes burning. “Good luck cooking your meals without fire. Try making drinkable water.” He gestured at a healer’s hut. “Good luck brewing medicinal teas, sanitizing bandages, cauterizing wounds.”</p><p>He pointed to the sun, in Jeong Jeong’s own words ‘the ultimate source of fire’. “The <em>sun</em> gives warmth, gives the day." He turned to the water bender. "You’re from the Water Tribe, you <em>know </em>what the world is like without the sun. You live through it every winter. Tell me, Katara, does anything grow without the sun? Do the animals move? Would anyone in your tribe even <em>survive </em>the winter if you didn’t have <em>fire</em>?”</p><p>He was spitting sparks now, creating flame with his mouth when his hands still couldn’t hold it. He met Jeong Jeong’s eyes. “The Avatar needs to learn control. He should never have tried to learn fire before mastering earth and water, but even when he <em>is </em>ready to learn, you are not going to be the one to teach him. The rest of the nations have poised Aang against our element enough, he doesn’t need his master doing it too.”</p><p>For several long moments, Zuko just stood, panting heavily, exhausted by the bending and from using so many words at once, but Jeong Jeong looked… surprised. He seemed contemplative. “Perhaps… regardless. I think it is clear, it was never my destiny to teach the Avatar. It is yours.”</p><p>“Mine? But I-“</p><p>“<em>After </em>he had mastered the other elements. He must know the movement and flow of water and the determination and steadfastness of earth before he can have the control and power of fire.”</p><p>Zuko shook his head, “But I mean, I was never even-“</p><p>Suddenly a wall of flame erupted from the direction of the river, and Jeong Jeong barely had time to throw up a flame shield before it hit. They looked down the river to see a trio of familiar boats cutting through the water.</p><p>“Zhao.” Zuko sneered, fingers itching for his swords, for his flames. Zhao had held Aang like a prisoner, had chased him down like a particularly elusive type of game.</p><p>Zhao had smiled at the Agni Kai.</p><p>“Go get your friends and flee!” Jeong Jeong commanded. “Do not come back here or you will all be destroyed. Hurry!”</p><p>Katara and Zuko jumped onto Appa, leading the bison to the part of the river where they had last seen Aang and Sokka. Sokka was running out of their temporary housing, packs slung on his back.</p><p>“Katara, are you okay?” He asked.</p><p>“I’m fine. Where’s Aang?”</p><p>The boy pointed at Jeong Jeong’s hut and Katara ran for it as Sokka and Katara secured their supplies.</p><p>“Is she really okay?” He asked Zuko softly as they tied down bags. The firebender nodded.</p><p>“She can heal. She- it’s like she was never injured. It’s <em>amazing </em>Sokka.”</p><p>The younger teen relaxed. Previously bow-tight shoulders slumping as he took in a deep, shuddering breath. “Good. Good.” Then, after a moment, normal Sokka was back. “Man, where was that ability when I got two fishhooks stuck in my thumb?”</p><p>“Two?”</p><p>“Well, you see I-“</p><p>“Guys!” Katara yelled, running up to them. "Aang went after Zhao!”</p><p>“What?” Sokka asked, Zuko simply cursed, running through the brush as the siblings followed on Appa. He dashed through the trees, but by the time he caught up with the fight, Jeong Jeong was gone, Aang was easily dodging sloppy firebending, and Zhao was setting his own ships on fire.</p><p>A few of Zhao’s men were in the woods, evidently seeking the deserters. Zuko proved a good distraction to keep them from actually finding anything. However, when Sokka called for Aang, Zuko joined as well, and it wasn’t long until they were all on the bison, leaving Zhao and his burning ships behind.</p><p>For a moment they didn’t move, instead simply relishing in the simple fact that they had somehow made it out of yet another impossible situation. Then Katara inhaled sharply. “Aang, you’re burned.”</p><p>Zuko blinked to see part of the other boy’s orange cloak had burned away, leaving reddened skin beneath a circle of soot. He automatically reached for his salve, but before he could even find it, the girl had glowing water encircling her hand.</p><p>Oh. Well. Nevermind then.</p><p>“Woah, that’s good water.” Aang said with a dopey grin. Katara smiled back, excitement lighting up her eyes before turning to Zuko.</p><p>“You too. I saw you pull the fire away from Aang, your hands must hurt.”</p><p>Zuko grimaced. He’d been able to ignore it for the most part, even while fighting, but now that things were calm and she brought attention to it, the stinging pain in his hands was becoming unbearable. “Thanks.” He grunted, accepting the help. It felt… weird. Kind of a tickling, cooling sensation. It was odd to watch the blistering skin become like new, just like that. If he’d had something like that right after the Agni Kai- no.</p><p>No he couldn’t think like that. He needed to think of something else. Aang was watching him with remorseful puppy dog eyes. Nope, not that. Something else. Unfortunately, Aang was oblivious to Zuko’s reluctance. “I’m really sorry Zuko. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Any of you. I already told Katara but… I’m never going to firebend ever again.”</p><p>“No.” Zuko said simply.</p><p>“Wha-“</p><p>“No.” He repeated, firmly. “Fire isn’t… fire isn’t <em>bad </em>Aang. It can be used for bad, but so can water. So can earth. So can <em>air. </em>There are earthquakes and landslides and tornadoes all the time. People drown every day. Fire can be <em>good </em>too. We tried to push you, tried to make you learn things the wrong way. We won’t make that mistake again, but you <em>will </em>firebend Aang. I'll make sure of it. Even if I have to teach you myself.”</p><p>The younger boy swallowed heavily and avoided eye contact and Zuko frowned. He was about to try again when, surprisingly, Katara spoke up. “He’s right Aang. You should have heard him earlier. Fire is… its important. We don’t think about it but… Sokka and I wouldn’t be alive without it.” She glanced at Zuko. “That was really interesting. I never thought about how much we rely on the sun in the South Pole. We pay almost more attention to it in the moon, to keep track of the seasons and the crops.”</p><p>Zuko shrugged, uncomfortable with the praise. “Well, it’s not that weird. The Fire Nation is an island nation. We have to pay a lot of attention to the tides and stuff. The moon is almost as important to the Fire Nation as it is to the Water Tribe.”</p><hr/><p>“I hear that Admiral Zhao has requested a siege against the Northern Water Tribe.” Iroh said, positioned respectfully on the floor in front of Ozai’s throne.</p><p>The Fire Lord eyed his brother suspiciously. “Yes. It is time we stopped their resistance once and for all.”</p><p>Iroh did not mention that the Water Tribe ‘resistance’ was that of the bender-less Southern Tribe. Nor did he mention that the Northern Tribe had become isolationists, not even treading into Fire Nation waters in decades. Instead he simply nodded.</p><p>Ozai however, seemed to hear what Iroh did not say. “Why are you here, brother? I believe it has been nearly 3 years since the events of the court held any interest to you.”</p><p>Iroh grit his teeth at the reminder of his brother’s cruelty, at his inhumanity, at his <em>son</em>, but he forced himself to breathe. “I believe that it is far past time that my grief had run its course. I would like to offer my services on this expedition.”</p><p>The suspicion and derision on the Fire Lord’s face only deepened. “And why, have you come to this conclusion now?”</p><p>“This war is coming to an end, brother. We are on the eve of Sozin’s comet. The Avatar has returned and is but an untrained child. I believe that this war will end before the year is over. It is past time that I did my part to help further the might of our nation.”</p><p>Ozia still didn’t seem to believe it, but his suspicion was softening, likely due to the distraction given by Iroh’s mention of an imminent victory. Perhaps due to the appeal of getting Iroh out of the palace for a while on an actually sanctioned trip. The Dragon of the West chose to butter it up even more.</p><p>“I would be more use to Zhao on the ship than I am to you here, brother. We have not had an organized assault on water benders in nearly 80 years. The Southern benders were all captured, and the Northern have holed themselves up. We do not have any generals experienced with their fighting styles, but I had studied them. I studied their bending. I know their techniques in a way that no other living general to boast. I simply wish to serve my Nation.” He bowed low, his head touching the floor and waited. Finally, after a long moment of silence, Ozai spoke.</p><p>“I will accept this request.”</p><p>Iroh grinned, though the expression was gone by the time he sat up right. “Thank you, Fire Lord.”</p><p>Ozai waved a courier over and commanded a letter be sent to Zhao. A simple flick of the hand dismissed Iroh, but the prince ignored the disrespect and walked out of the room calmly. In his pocket crinkled the bit of parchment he had received the night before.</p><p>
  <em>… speaking of pai sho, I met a young man who played well. He claims his uncle taught him the game. It is good to know that the ancient ways are being preserved by the new generation. He holds each of the elemental tiles nearby, and relies heavily on water moves. His playing style reminds me of our mutual friend to the north. I recommended that they play together if his journeys should bring him that way. Now, in regards to that oolong you sent… </em>
</p><p>Iroh ran his hand over the folded letter one final time. His heart beat steady and sure in his chest, but his face was split with a grin. <em>Finally</em>, his nephew had emerged. He had to pack.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I think it's REALLY interesting that because of their location/environment, the Water Tribe and Fire Nation both reply a lot on the patron of their bending opposite.<br/>Like I said, the island fire nation would reply a lot on the moon for the tides.<br/>The Arctic Water Tribe would have to pay a lot of attention to the sun because plants would only grow in summer and they would have to know approximately how much ice had melted, ect.<br/>I think that was a cool, probably unintentional thing that adds to the balance of the 4 nations.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I was rewatching the episode to write this and yo... that puppet is a million percent closer to Iroh than Ozai. Even it's voice was similar. </p><p>Did this mean anything in canon? I doubt it. </p><p>Will I make it mean something in my fic? You betcha.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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